Loading ramp



' y 11','1944- M. E. WOOD 2,353,533

LO-ADING RAMP Filed Fa l). 26, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1944' M. E. w oon I Z;353,533

' LOADING RAMP Filed Feb. 26, 1942 v 7' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 11, 194-4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I I 2,353,533 1 I LOADING RAMP Meek E. Wood, Filbert, S. C. I Application February 26, 1942, Serial No. 432,537.

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in loading ramps and more particularly to a ramp adapted to be used in conjunction with a bulldozer which is attached to a tractor for loading material such as soil or gravel onto a truck or other hauling equipment, from the ground, to provide means for replacing a power shovel or other heavy loading equipment.

More particularly, it is an aim of the invention to provide a self supporting ramp beneath the upper end of which can be driven trucks or other hauling equipment and up which can be driven a caterpillar tractor having a bulldozer attached thereto, for pushing the soil, gravel or other material up the ramp and into the truck, which is disposed beneath th upper end thereof.

More particularly, it is an aim of the invention to provide a ramp having an outlet opening in the floor thereof and at its upper end through which the material is discharged downwardly into the hauling equipment disposed therebeneath.

Still a further aim of the invention is to provide sills or skids for supporting the ramp and on which the ramp may be readily moved by being pulled by the tractor.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of the loading ramp,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the ramp taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a cross sectional View taken substantially along the plane of the line 5-5 of Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing one of the supporting braces detached from its floor beam.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the different views, II) designates generally the ramp in its entirety and which includes a floor or platform II which is formed of a plurality of longitudinally disposed planks having abutting longitudinal edges. The floor or platform I I is reinforced by means of a plurality of transversely disposed beams I2 which are disposed therebeneath to be secured thereto and which are positioned in spaced relationship to one another. The beams I2 project beyond the side edges of the floor II and have upwardly extending supporting bars I3 connected to their ends. The floor II is provided with upwardly extending side walls I4, formed of a plurality of superposed longitudinally extending planks, which are attached by fastenings I5 to the supporting bars I3. The floor I I is also provided, at one end thereof, with an upwardly extending end wall I6.

The ramp I0 also includes a supporting structure, designated generally II, which includes foundation sills or skids I 8. The foundation sills I8 are disposed in diverging relationship to one another, from adjacent the other end of the floor I I to a point near the end of the floor II, provided with the wall I6. The first mentioned ends of the sills I8 are disposed beneath the floor II and their last mentioned, diverging ends, are spaced outwardly from the floor. A plurality of supporting braces I9 are secured to and project upwardly from the sills I8 and are connected thereto by means of suitable fastenings, as indicated at 20, Figure 3. The supporting braces I9 are provided with notches 2| at their upper ends into which the beams I2 fit and the upper ends of the braces [9 are secured to the beams by similar fastenings 20. The supporting braces I9 are reduced in length from the diverging toward the converging ends of the sills I8 for supporting the floor II at an incline so that the end thereof, provided with the wall I6 will form the upper end of the ramp Ill. Likewise, the longer braces I9 are inclined inwardly at a greater angle than the shorter braces so that said braces all connect to the beams l2, beneath the floor II and substantially the same distance from the complementary side edge thereof. The converging ends of th sills I8 are beveled on their upper sides, as seen at 22, to correspond to the inclination of the floor II and portions of the lower end of said floor rest on the beveled surfaces 22 so that the lower, open end of the floor will be at substantially the same level as th surface on which the sills I8 rest.

The floor II extends substantially beyond the upper end of the supporting structure I! and the exposed portion thereof is provided with an opening 23 which extends to the end wall I6 and which is spaced from the side walls I4. A beam 24 is secured beneath and transversely of the floor II and along one edge of the opening 23. The upper corners of th ramp Ill, formed by the floor II and the walls I4 and I6, are provided with upright diagonal walls 25 which project upwardly from the floor II and which are connected at their ends to the walls I4 and I6 and which extend inwardly to the opening 23.

The ramp I0 may be made in any desired length and the floor H may be of any width, depending upon the width of the bulldozer, with which it is to be used. The upper end of the ramp I0 is sufficiently elevated so that the body of a truck or other hauling equipment, not shown, may be driven therebeneath. It will thus be obvious that sand or gravel or other material can be pushed up the ramp by a bulldozer, attached to a caterpillar tractor, not shown, and the material thus conveyed up the ramp floor II will be discharged through the Opening 23 and into the truck body, disposed therebeneath. The diagonal walls 25 will form deflectors or baffles for directing the material toward the longitudinal center of the floor II and thus toward the opening 23. The braces l9 are also inclined upwardly and in a direction toward th entrance or lower end'of the floor H to provide greater strength and resistance to the load which is being pushed up the ramp.

The ramp I0 may be formed of various materials having sufiicient strength to withstand the load to which it is subjected, such as various metals or wood. Obviously, when the ramp ID is constructed of metal the floor II and the side walls I4 would each be formed, preferably, of a single strip or the floor H and the walls 14 and I6 may all be formed integral.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claim, as only a preferred embodiment thereof has been disclosed.

I claim as my invention:

A loading ramp having an inclined floor for upward movement thereover by a bulldozer, side walls rising from the floor, sills, said sills at their forward ends extending beneath the floor and at their rear ends extending outwardly of the floor, transverse braces disposed against the under surfaces 'of said floor, a series of inclined braces on each side of the structure, angularity of said braces increasing from front to rear toward a position at right angles to the horizontal, and the same braces also decreasing in angularity relative to the horizontal plane, said braces being connected to said sills and having notches engaging said beams, and said floor adjacent the upper end and beyond the braces having a discharge opening therethrough.

MEEK E. WOOD. 

